Narrative:

We were conducting an early morning arrival into the schiphol (amsterdam) airport in the netherlands for a visual approach to runway 6, backed up by the ILS DME runway 6. The approach had been briefed, with a preselected altimeter setting of 996 hpa, and a transition level of 5000 ft. All elements of the flight were normal. ATC cleared us to FL50, assigned us a speed of 310 KTS, and cleared us direct to the spl VOR. At FL50, about Z5 DME from spl, ATC cleared us direct to the schiphol localizer (ch) and to descend to 3000 ft. As a crew, our concern was with our speed and altitude, in close proximity to the airport, although we were still within the parameters of a stabilized approach. Because of this distraction, we were slow to activate our local altimeter setting. The altimeter adjustment resulted in the aircraft being below the assigned 3000 ft altitude. We corrected the altitude immediately. After landing, I called the approach control supervisor. He told me that there was no traffic conflict or loss of separation. I believe that keeping the approach descent checklist visible until the last item on the list (the altimeter setting) has been selected, or developing a habit pattern of selecting the local altimeter setting as soon as approach control gives it to the crew, might prevent this sort of incident from occurring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW LNDG AMSTERDAM FAILED TO FOLLOW CHKLIST ON DSCNT AND ENTER CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING.

Narrative: WE WERE CONDUCTING AN EARLY MORNING ARR INTO THE SCHIPHOL (AMSTERDAM) ARPT IN THE NETHERLANDS FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 6, BACKED UP BY THE ILS DME RWY 6. THE APCH HAD BEEN BRIEFED, WITH A PRESELECTED ALTIMETER SETTING OF 996 HPA, AND A TRANSITION LEVEL OF 5000 FT. ALL ELEMENTS OF THE FLT WERE NORMAL. ATC CLRED US TO FL50, ASSIGNED US A SPD OF 310 KTS, AND CLRED US DIRECT TO THE SPL VOR. AT FL50, ABOUT Z5 DME FROM SPL, ATC CLRED US DIRECT TO THE SCHIPHOL LOC (CH) AND TO DSND TO 3000 FT. AS A CREW, OUR CONCERN WAS WITH OUR SPD AND ALT, IN CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT, ALTHOUGH WE WERE STILL WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF A STABILIZED APCH. BECAUSE OF THIS DISTR, WE WERE SLOW TO ACTIVATE OUR LCL ALTIMETER SETTING. THE ALTIMETER ADJUSTMENT RESULTED IN THE ACFT BEING BELOW THE ASSIGNED 3000 FT ALT. WE CORRECTED THE ALT IMMEDIATELY. AFTER LNDG, I CALLED THE APCH CTL SUPVR. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT OR LOSS OF SEPARATION. I BELIEVE THAT KEEPING THE APCH DSCNT CHKLIST VISIBLE UNTIL THE LAST ITEM ON THE LIST (THE ALTIMETER SETTING) HAS BEEN SELECTED, OR DEVELOPING A HABIT PATTERN OF SELECTING THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING AS SOON AS APCH CTL GIVES IT TO THE CREW, MIGHT PREVENT THIS SORT OF INCIDENT FROM OCCURRING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.